Liverpool 2-0 Man City: Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah secure victory as crisis deepens for Pep Guardiola

Report and free match highlights as Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah earned Liverpool a confident victory over brittle Man City, who are now winless in seven; Liverpool's lead at the top of the Premier League stretches to nine points over second-placed Arsenal - 11 better off than City

By Laura Hunter

Monday 2 December 2024 06:21, UK

Liverpool took their opportunity to open up an incredible 11-point gap on Manchester City with a pulsating 2-0 victory over the reigning Premier League champions at Anfield.

Goaded by chants of 'You're getting sacked in the morning', Pep Guardiola responded to the Anfield crowd by highlighting City's six Premier League titles under him.

But, in only the first week of December, it already appears that the champions are as good as out of this season's race, having lost four consecutive league games for the first time since 2008.

"I don't think there is any way back for Man City now," concluded Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher at the final whistle. "This season, Man City will not win the Premier League.

"It's a mini-crisis. I actually think City might have a fight on their hands for top four."

How Liverpool knocked City out of title race

So often one of the fixture calendar's marquee occasions, this latest instalment between two fierce title rivals didn't disappoint, with Liverpool racing into an early lead through Cody Gakpo.

It could so easily have been worse for ragged City, whose crisis is deepening by the week, as Virgil van Dijk planted a free header against the post and Stefan Ortega - chosen ahead of Ederson - rebuffed a pair of Dominik Szoboszlai efforts.

Liverpool were purring, better in every department than their struggling visitors. Trent Alexander-Arnold was next to graze Ortega's right-hand post, while the slickness of his passing was causing chaos for City's Rodri-less midfield.

And with suggestions City's legs have gone persisting, the second period only got worse. Arne Slot's side were piercing with every fast-paced attack, as Gakpo nearly had a second when released by a wonderful Andy Robertson pass, only for Matheus Nunes to make a superb recovery tackle.

Salah let City off the hook moments later after a horrible mix-up between Bernardo Silva and Manuel Akanji, screwing wide when one-on-one with Ortega, but the Egyptian is rarely denied.

The day firmly belonged to Liverpool, and Salah made sure of that by thumping a confident penalty beyond Ortega - who had wiped out Luis Diaz to concede the spot kick - to cap another fine display.

City's title defence appears all but over.

Player ratings:

Liverpool: Kelleher (7), Alexander-Arnold (7), Van Dijk (8), Gomez (8), Robertson (7), Gravenberch (8), Mac Allister (8), Szoboszlai (8), Gakpo (8), Salah (9), Diaz (8).

Subs: Nunez (6), Quansah (7), Jones (n/a), Elliot (n/a).

Man City: Ortega (5), Ake (6), Dias (6), Akanji (5), Walker (6), Gundogan (6), Lewis (6), Nunes (6), Foden (5), Silva (6), Haaland (5).

Subs: Doku (7), Savinho (6), Grealish (6), De Bruyne (6).

Player of the Match: Mo Salah

Slot: We came close to perfection

Liverpool boss Arne Slot:

"Yeah [it was almost a perfect match], and if you look at work-rate I think it was perfect. The amount of chances we miss made it tight at the end. But maybe that's nice for matches like this. It should be like this. But it would have been nicer to score the second goal earlier.

"We always press high but they're so good at build-up. So you have to work very hard. Our players had energy.

"We're a compatible team and it's difficult to beat us. But also we have to put the effort in. Next week is another big week against Newcastle and Everton.

"I don't think anyone, including me would have predicted this [start]. I knew Jurgen [Klopp] left the team in a good place, but still, against all the teams we have played. We have to stay sharp and focused."

Guardiola: Maybe I deserve the sack

Pep Guardiola's response to chants about being sacked: "Listen, I'm so proud for my six Premier Leagues, I'm so sorry. I didn't expect Anfield at 0-2 to chant about (being) sacked, maybe I deserve to be sacked, honestly. With the results maybe I'm still in a job because we won six Premier Leagues, a lot of titles, otherwise the hierarchy maybe think 'this doesn't work'.

"But I didn't expect for them to sing. It's fine, it's part of the game. When you win you laugh, when you lose they laugh. You have to accept. The time with Jurgen [Klopp] was incredible for me and the battles with Liverpool. Now this will be difficult to repeat but all of us will reflect and try to come strong."